Apparatus for drying skins, &amp;c.



No. 867,848. PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907.

' W. B. SMITH.

vAPPARATUS FOR DRYING SKINS, 8w.

APPLICATION rmzn SEPT.29;1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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No.867,848. PATENTED 0018,1907.

- W. R. SMITH.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING SKINS, 8:0.

APPLICATION FILED 832129. 1905.

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No. 867,848.' v PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907.

' W. R. SMITH.

' APPARATUS FOR DRYING SKINS, 8:0.

ARPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1906.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3 in: "ours nrrsRs co., wAsumamu, v.1

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. SMITH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BUFFALO LEATHER 00., OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING SKINS, 860.

Patented Oct. 8, 1907.

Application filed September 29, 1905. Serial No. 280,597-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. SMITH, of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Skins, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices which are used in the process of tanning hides, to squeeze out the liquid with which the hides are saturated when they come from the tanning vats or tumbling-drums, preparatory to drying.

In order that the hides may be dried quickly after being subjected to the action of the tanning and coloring solutions, it is necessary first to press out as much of the moisture as possible, and this has hitherto been done by a press having a platen operating against a bed on which the hides are spread out, or by wringerrolls covered with absorbent cotton jackets. Each of these methods is objectionable, however, for with the use of the first type of apparatus, the hide, and with the second the apparatus, is liable to injury. When flat presses are used, the hides, which are frequently somewhat wrinkled when spread out on the bed, are subjected in this condition to the action of the platen, and the platen pressing on the wrinkles forms folds or creases at which the leather is inclined to crack and break when dry; and the cotton-covered rolls used in the other type of machine are unsatisfactory because they are easily and frequently cut, and therefore subject to rapid deterioration. As they are expensive, and have to be frequently renewed, the expense attending their use is considerable, and constitutes a serious objection. By the apparatus of my invention, I avoid the objections incident to the use of the devices hitherto known, and am enabled to express the moisture from the wet hides without injuring either the hides or the apparatus.

My invention consists in an apparatus having a movable table or bed, provided with a layer of soft absorbent material, and a smooth-surfaced pressureroll. The wet hides are placed on the bed, which is then moved under the pressure-roll, and the latter acting thereon squeezes out the liquid, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the pressure-roll and connected parts in elevation. Fig. 3 represents a plan view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a view on an enlarged scale, of a smoothing-roll used in connection with this machine. Fig. 5 represents a View in side elevation, of a modified form of my invention; and Fig. 6 represents a plan View of the same.

gearing, such, for instance, as a rack and pinion, a

suitably driven pinion for this purpose being indicated by dotted lines, at x in Fig. 5. On the upper surface of the bed is secured an absorbent blanket cushion H, preferably of soft cotton loosely woven into a thick fabric, of which several plies are laid on the bed,

forming a thick, soft cushion on which the wet hides are laid and secured. The bed is then set in motion, and caused to pass under the pressure-roll, which bears upon it and squeezes out the liquid, which is absorbed by the porous blanket. of its forward movement, the hide is removed and the bed returns to its first position, passing again under the roll B, which presses on the blanket, to remove the liquid which has been absorbed from the hide during When the bed reaches the end the forward movement of the table, the expressed liquid draining off through perforations p in the bed.

The bed A is preferably hollow, as indicated in Fig. 2, and has its upper surface formed with numerous small openings or perforations through which air and moisture may be drawn. produce the necessary partial vacuum in the space in the bed A, to draw air and moisture through the blanket or cushion H, any suitable means may be employed. A flexible pipe a is shown, which pipe may To exhaust the air so as to lead to any suitable pump adapted to draw air and water from the hollow bed; By such construction, I am able to expedite the drying of the hides, since atmospheric pressure is utilized, in addition to the prossure-rolls, to remove the liquid from the hides.

The pressure-roll is adjustably supported in the standards E, as before stated, and means are provided for automatically changing the adjustment at each trip of the bed, so that during the forward trip the roll will be raised enough to permit the edge of the hide to enter under it, and on the return of the bed it will be lowered sufficiently to bear against the absorbent blanket. To the upper end of each standard is pivoted at I a lever or arm G, which carries an adjustingscrew K, the lower end of which is threaded into a nut J connected to the bearing-block C. To the free ends of the levers G are pivoted at M, bars N which extend downwardly, and the lower ends of which are held in guides P. A roll R is connected to each of the bars N, near the lower end, and dogs S and T, having inclined canifaces 8 t, respectively, attached to the bed A. When the bed reaches the end of its forward movement, the dogs T strike the rolls R, and the cam surfaces t bear on the upper sides of the rolls, and push them down, carrying down the rods N and the free ends of the levers G, and lowering the pressure-roll, through the medium of the screws K carried by the levers, into position to act upon the blanket during the return trip of the bed, the hide having meanwhile been removed. Then as the bed finishes its return trip, and comes back to its starting position, the cam surfaces 8 of the dogs S strike the lower sides of the rolls R, and raise the levers G and pressure-roll B into their first position, ready to act on a fresh hide placed on the bed. The effective pressure of the roll B may be varied by adjusting the roll relatively to the levers G, by thescrew K, which are provided with handwheels L by which they may be turned, and are prevented from moving through the levers by collars a a. Any suitable means may be employed for retaining the parts in their adjusted position, such as properly arranged counterweights, or by providing for sufficient friction between the bearing blocks C and the guideways D.

A smoothing-roll U, the surface of which has helical ribs r inclined away from the central portion, as shown in Fig. 4, is mounted to extend over the bed at one side of the pressure-roll B, and engage the hide before it encounters the pressure-roll. When this roll is rotated, its ribs engage any wrinkles or creases that may be formed in the hide, and smooth them away, so that the hide is in a perfectly flat condition when it comes to the pressure-roll. Another smoothing roll U, similar in construction to the roll U, is mounted to extend over the bed at the opposite side of the pressure-roll. The rolls U and U are rotated in opposite directions, each rotating in such direction that its blades will tend to pull the hide away from the nip of the pressure-roll and bed. The roll U, therefore removes wrinkles from the portion of the hide approaching the pressure-roll, while the roll U removes wrinkles from the portion of the hide receding from the pressureroll. The rate of rotation of the roll U should be such that the acting edges of its blades will move slightly faster than the bed. i i

It will be evident from the foregoing, that in the machine of my invention the hides are pressed out without objectionable creases or folds being formed in them, and that there is almost no chance of cutting the soft covering of the table, and even if the blanket is cut or otherwise injured, it may be repaired much more readily than can the jackets of the covered wringer-rolls now used. Thus the effects which form such serious objections to the machines hitherto known are entirely overcome by my construction.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 and ti. thc bearing-blocks C of the prcssurc-roll l3 arc carricd in the guideways (I (I, which are formed on standards I connected to the machineiramc and arc movable cud wise thereon. Screws 0 are threaded through the standards E, and connected to the blocks liy turning the screws. the roll may be raised or lowcrcd to adjust the pressure of the roll. The scrcws c however are so connected to the blocks (7 as to pcrniit the latter to yield somewhat, springs 1/ being employed between the blocks and collars oon the screws. In this modification, the raising and lowcring dogs arc omitted, the roll being automatically positioncd vcrtically by presence or absence of a hidc on ilic bed. In other words, the roll is yieldingly mounted so that its weight and the springs 11 will :mtomatically cause it to press on the blanket after the hide is removed.

What I claim is- 1. In a device of the character specified. a reciprocating bed having an absorbent: blanket cushion secured fhcrcon and adapted to support; :1 hide. a pressure-roll nrrangcd to hear on the hide supported by the blanket. and means for automatically positioning the roll to press on the hide during one motion or the bed and to press on the blunhct cushion during the return motion of the bcd.

2. In a device of the character specified, :1 reciprocating bed having an absorbent blanket; cushion secured thcrcon and adapted to support :1 hide, a pressure-roll located in proximity to the bed. and means carried by the bcd for varying the distance of the roll from the bed.

3. In a device of the character specified, :1 reciprocating bed, a roll slidably mounted in guidc\\'u \'s above said bcd, mechanism connected to said roll for moving the roll in the guidew and means carried by the bed for actuating said mechan .m.

4. In a device of the character specified. a I'LClpl'fit'illllljJI bed, a roll slidably mounted in guidcways above said bcd. arms movably connected to a fixed part of the machine. adjustable connections between said roll and arms. and dogs carried by the bed, arranged to engage the arms at each reciprocation of the bed. and raise and lower said arms and roll.

5. In :1 device of the character specified, a rcciprru-ating bed, standards having guideways rising above said bed. a pressure-roll adjustnbly mounted in said gnidcways. lcvcrs pivoted to the standards and connected to thc prcssul'croll, downwardly extending burs connected to said lcvirs. dogs connected to the bed near opposite ends thereof and located to engage portions of said bars during the rccipro cations of the bed, one of the dogs having a canrfncc ar ranged to force the bars upwardly, and thc othcr having a face arranged to force the bars downwardly. and means for adjusting the pressure-roll relatively to thc lcvcrs.

In testimony whereof I have aflixcd my signufurc. in presence 01' two witnesses.

WILLIAM ll. SMl'lll.

Witnesses Jason N. \VIII'ICUMB, C. I Bnowx. 

